New Years Eve Parties Taking On Homey, America-Inspired Themes

Hollywood is American and glamorous, so what better party theme than Wolfgang Reinerts salute to silver screen legends?

Hollywood is American and glamorous, so what better party theme than Wolfgang Reinerts salute to silver screen legends? (Staff photo/Melissa Lyttle)

LAURIE BROOKINSSun-Sentinel

Count on a quiet, more subdued New Years Eve this year, as Home for the Holidays takes center stage as the theme well find most comforting on Dec. 31.

Thats the reality of revelry after Sept. 11. But truth be told, we havent partied like its 1999 since, well, 1999.

The millennium was the last time we saw large, grand parties, with 800 or 900 people, says Cindy Christman, director of decor, sales and services for Boca By Design in Boca Raton. Last year people started to scale back a bit, with worries of recession looming on the horizon. And this year for obvious reasons everyone wants their parties to be very small and low-key.

In talking to Christman and other South Florida party planners, three distinct themes emerged for this years holiday festivities. They offer tips for how to ring in the New Year even as thoughts of the old year remain.

Wave The Flag

Red, white and blue topped the list of requests received by party planners this year. In early November we tried to buy miniature lights in patriotic colors, but suppliers were already sold out, says Wolfgang Reinert, owner of Kannon Productions in Fort Lauderdale. Noting that everyone wants patriotic, but tasteful patriotic, Reinert plans to do things such as project images on the walls, use special lighting and also incorporate stars and flowers.

You dont want to do gaudy things like balloons and bunting. After all, its a party, not a car dealership, he says.

Christman agrees, adding she has received requests for Yankee Doodle Dandy themes and patriotic music. The key is to create a theme thats patriotic but also subtle and elegant, she says.

And so for one party shes come up with an especially poignant idea: New York from the 20s through the 40s.

Thats really a golden age for that city and gives us a lot of room to work with in terms of themes and decor, she says. Theres also a bit of a tribute about it, but nothing too overt.

Reinert also is taking an Americana approach with some of his parties. For one client, hell re-create San Francisco in the 60s: psychedelic decor, flowers in your hair, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Beatles, and the idea that all you need is love, he says. Its a fun theme, yet also plays into the idea that we should love one another.

Another events theme was born when the phrase Hollywood on New Years Eve was mentioned.

For many, the idea of hunkering down at home seems to be an appropriate and safe plan. A lot of people want to stay home and have it be either a just you and me night, or theyll invite just close family and friends, Christman says. No matter what you choose, you can make it special.

Planning a just-the-two-of-us evening? Christman suggests hitting the beach with a picnic basket and a bottle of champagne. On a slightly larger scale, invite close friends and make the night fun instead of stiff and stuffy. Host a kitchen party, where everyone cooks and the night is about great food with great friends, she says.

For menu choices, comfort is key, no matter what size party youre planning.

People are looking for homey, intimate ideas, and that extends to the food as well, says Miami party planner Susan Gladstone. For one large holiday party, were doing down-to-earth, American foods that call to mind a return to your grandmothers kitchen, with a mashed-potato bar, apple pies and smores.

Reinert suggests implying comfort by using fresh greens to decorate the table, such as pine boughs mixed with pine cones and juniper berries. That says warmth and heartland to me, he says.

For maximum warmth, one couple asked Christman for portable fireplaces for their deck party; she found outdoor stand-alone models at Evenings De-light in Fort Lauderdale. We always see a surge in our sales as the holidays near, but never more so than this year, says Jay Jassem, manager of Evenings De-light.

Theres something very tranquil and comforting about a fireplace, and I think more than ever people are seeking ways to inject that feeling into their homes, Jassem says.

Indeed, when it comes to entertaining this season, home does seem to be where the hearth is. Everyones scaling down the size of their parties this year, from the number of people they invite to the amount their spending, Gladstone says.

People want to feel like theyre surrounded by their loved ones this season, and when they spend the money, theyre making sure theyre spending it on quality, Gladstone says. Its about the basics, but really elegant basics.

Kick Up Your Heels

So maybe you dont want to sing God Bless America at your New Years Eve party, or maybe youll have indulged in all the warmth and comfort you can handle prior to Dec. 31. If thats the case, think about the third option: Forget your troubles, cmon, get happy.

For one party, Christman is designing a Moulin Rouge theme thats very carefree, very forget-your-worries, she says.

Paris in the 20s is not only lighthearted and joyful, it also lends itself to a wealth of ideas: garters, corset dresses, berets and feather boas. What you wear becomes the decor.

You have to walk a fine line between creating an elegant theme and being too ostentatious, she says. We try to achieve that through fabrics and textures and whimsical touches that arent too overblown.

While each party planner agrees that ostentatious is taboo this year, theyre also quick to admit that carefree is a fine idea.

Weve all been so stressed out the last few months, Christman says. It really is OK to give that a rest for one night and look forward to the New Year with maximum optimism.

Laurie Brookins is fashion and beauty editor for Bridal Guide magazine in New York.